


The Christmas Carol

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Christmas, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-02-16
Updated: 1999-02-16
Packaged: 2018-11-10 06:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11122110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: It's Christmas Eve, and Ray is concerned when Fraser seems to be making himself scarce.





	The Christmas Carol

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

The Christmas Carol  
The Christmas Carol  
by Angela Rivieccio  
  
  
  
Ray rushed down the stairs, straightening his tie. His family  
was scattered about the house, his sisters upstairs dressing for  
church  
while his brother-in-law watched TV. His nieces and nephews,  
up past  
their bed time for this special occasion, were dozing on  
the couch.  
He found his mother in the kitchen, deep in preparations for  
the  
next day's feast. She looked up as he entered. "You're  
early, Ray.  
You're sisters won't be ready for a while yet."  
"I'm going to stop by Fraser's and invite him over for Christmas  
dinner tomorrow."  
"You mean you haven't invited him yet?"  
"The couple of times I was able to reach him at the consulate  
he  
was too busy to stay on the phone more than a minute or so.   
I think his  
new boss is testing him -- putting him through his paces."  
"She might just be trying to establish her authority,"  
his mother  
stated, whacking Ray's hand as he reached out to sample  
the struffoli.  
"And I tried catching him after work earlier this week,  
but he  
wasn't home."  
"Maybe he had some last-minute Christmas shopping to do."  
Ray frowned. He knew from the previous Christmas that Fraser  
only bought one present -- Diefenbaker's. He didn't think that  
number  
would expand by much this year. He glanced at his watch.  
"I gotta go.  
I'll meet you at the Church. Save me a seat."  
He gave his mother a kiss  
on the cheek.  
"Drive carefully."  
  
\----  
  
Ray knocked on the door of apartment 3J, expecting to find Fraser  
at home reading some obscure book on waterfowl of North America,  
or even  
another one of his father's journals, but was instead greeted  
by  
silence. He knocked again. "Hey, Fraser. You in there?"  
"He's not home."  
Ray turned to find Mr. Mustafi had poked his head out of his  
apartment. "You know where he is?"  
The man shook his head. "No... He's been out every night  
this  
week--him and the wolf."  
"Alone?" Ray's curiosity got the better of him.  
"Yeah..."  
"Uh, thanks. Merry Christmas."  
Mustafi nodded. "To you, too." Then he closed his  
door, leaving  
the detective alone in the hall.  
Ray fingered the wrapped gift in his coat pocket. He had hoped  
to give it to Fraser tomorrow at his house, but on the off chance  
the  
Mountie had other plans, he'd brought it with him. He hadn't  
seen Fraser  
much in the past couple of weeks. Now that she had  
decided he could  
remain at this posting, Thatcher no longer gave  
him such choice  
assignments as running her laundry to the dry cleaners,  
and was keeping  
the Mountie very busy. Ray thought that Fraser  
probably preferred it  
that way, being alone for Christmas and all.  
Having grown up in a large  
family, Ray couldn't even begin to imagine  
what it would be like to have  
to spend the holidays alone. Fraser  
was probably used to it by now.  
Even when his father had been living,  
they were posted thousands of miles  
away from each other, and had  
not been together during the holiday  
season. _He may have gotten  
used to it,_ Ray thought to himself, _but_  
that doesn't mean  
he likes it.  
He checked his watch, then sighed. He'd have to leave now in  
order to get to the Church in time for Midnight Mass. "Merry  
Christmas,  
Fraser..." he said softly as he headed for the stairs.  
  
\----  
  
Ray was nearly out of breath by the time he sat down in the pew  
with his family, having to park the Riviera several blocks away  
from the  
Church and walk swiftly so as not to be late for the service.  
His mother  
leaned over and whispered, "Did you see him?"  
"Nah, he wasn't home." He would have continued, but  
the organ  
music began to play, announcing the start of the Mass.  
In the balcony, the choir sang as the re-enactment of the world's  
most sacred night began. To the left of the altar was the set of  
the  
doorway that was the Inn, and to the right was the stable, with  
representations of barn animals and a manger filled with hay. Every  
year  
the Church performed the same play, from Joseph and Mary being  
turned  
away from the Inn to the Wise Men arriving bearing gifts,  
yet it never  
failed thaw out some of the cynicism that dealing with  
the dregs of  
society day-in and day-out built up in the Italian  
detective.  
As the Three Wise Men began walking down the aisle towards the  
stable, the first strains of "Adeste Fideles" flowed from  
the organ, then  
a strong male voice began to sing.  
Ray's eyes widened as his head snapped around.  
In the middle of the choir stood the Mountie, the soft lights  
reflecting off the red and white robe he wore, giving his face a  
healthy  
glow. Fraser held no hymnal in his hands, singing the song  
from memory,  
his eyes fixed on the Wise Men giving gifts to the  
newborn Christ child.  
The Latin hymn was perfect for him, and although  
the cop had heard his  
friend sing before, his voice had never sounded  
as rich nor as true.  
Fraser seemed mesmerized, as if he was actually  
there, witnessing the  
Blessed Miracle as it was happening, and his  
voice reflected his emotions  
perfectly. A warm smile softened Ray's  
features.  
At that moment, Fraser glanced down into the congregation, his  
blue eyes meeting Ray's, and the corners of his mouth turned upward  
as he  
continued to sing, beginning the song again in English, the  
entire choir  
joining in. The emotional moment swept through the  
Church, and the  
parishioners added their voice in song.  
  
  
\----  
  
The rest of the Mass seemed to pass in a blur, and as the service  
ended, Ray went in search of his friend. The members of the choir  
were  
changing in a small room near the balcony area, and Ray waited  
patiently  
for the Mountie to exit. As the door opened and people  
began leaving,  
Ray could see many of them going up to Fraser and  
offering thanks.  
Although he couldn't hear their words, he could  
tell by his friend's body  
language that Fraser was a bit uncomfortable  
with their praise.  
Ray straightened as Fraser made his way towards the door,  
Diefenbaker following his master closely. "So this is what you've  
been  
up to?"  
They began walking towards the stairs. "Yes, Ray. Father  
Behan  
came to the consulate earlier this week and asked if I'd be  
willing to  
assist in tonight's service. It seems that several members  
of the tenor  
section, for various reasons, were unable to participate  
this year, and  
they were in desperate need male voices."  
"Constable..."  
The trio stopped at the doors of the Church and waited for Father  
Behan to join them.  
"I wanted to thank you again for your help," the Irish  
priest  
said, offering his hand. "I don't think we've ever  
had a better Midnight  
Mass."  
Fraser returned the gesture. "It was no trouble at all,  
Father  
Behan. I was happy to assist."  
"A Merry Christmas to both of you, and your family, too,  
Detective Vecchio."  
"Same to you, Father."  
"Merry Christmas, Father."  
Francesca and Mrs. Vecchio were waiting for them outside the  
Church. "You were absolutely wonderful, Fraser," Ray's  
mother said as  
she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Brought  
tears to my eyes."  
"Thank you, Mrs. Vecchio."  
"Mine, too," Francesca added as she came up beside  
him.  
Fraser glanced at Ray before replying, "Thank you kindly,  
Francesca."  
Ray cleared his throat. "Where'd everyone else go?"  
"Home," his mother replied. "The kids were falling  
asleep on  
their feet, and they knew Santa wouldn't come until after  
they were in bed."  
"You will join us for Christmas dinner, won't you?"  
Francesca asked.  
"Ah. Well..."  
"You're not working tomorrow, are you?" Mrs. Vecchio  
asked.  
"No. Inspector Thatcher has given me the day off."  
"Then I won't take no for an answer," the older woman  
stated.  
"We've got plenty of food, and there's always room  
for one more."  
Fraser smiled. "Well, in that case, I would be delighted  
to.  
Thank you for inviting me."  
"Good. We'll see you tomorrow, then." "I'm gonna  
give Fraser a  
ride home. I'll meet you back at the house."  
"Merry Christmas, Fraser," the Vecchio women said before  
heading  
for their car.  
Fraser, Ray and Diefenbaker began walking towards the Buick.  
  
\----  
  
On the drive home they made small talk about recent cases and  
police procedures. Ray parked the car in front of the dilapidated  
apartment building, and the trio went upstairs.  
Ray looked around Fraser's dark apartment, noticing the tiny  
decorated tabletop tree by the window. Two presents lay beneath  
it.  
"Nice tree."  
Fraser glanced at the small tree, it's miniature lights blinking  
on and off.  
"You sure you didn't have any plans for the day?" Ray  
asked.  
Fraser shook his head. "No, Ray. None at all."  
Ray frowned. _How could anyone want to spend Christmas alone_  
in  
a place like this... he thought to himself. He forced a  
smile. "Well,  
I'd better warn you, if you thought your average  
every-day meal at my  
house was crazy, you ain't seen nothin' yet.  
The holidays are sheer  
madness."  
Fraser met the detective's gaze. He'd seen the expression on  
Ray's face as he saw the small tree, and he knew what his friend  
was  
trying to do. The corner of his mouth turned upwards. "I'll  
consider  
myself forewarned."  
Ray matched the grin. Digging into his coat, he pulled out the  
rectangular present from his vest pocket. "I'd better give  
this to you  
now. Tomorrow we'll be lucky if we can fit in the same  
room together."  
Fraser took the gift. "You didn't have to do this, Ray."  
"It's Christmas, Benny. Just open it."  
Fraser unwrapped the small gift. Inside was a leather bound  
book  
with an ornately engraved spine. Fraser flipped through it  
to find its  
pages blank.  
"I figure since your father seemed to have a talent for  
writing,  
I thought maybe you'd like to carry on the tradition."  
The twinkling lights of the tree reflected in the Mountie's blue  
eyes. "It's beautiful, Ray. Thank you."  
Fraser went to the tree placed the book beneath it, then removed  
one  
of presents, handing it to Ray. "This is for you."  
Ray took the gift, ripping the paper off in a matter of seconds.  
Inside the small box was a well-worn pocket watch, its cover bearing  
the  
insignia of the RCMP. Ray carefully lifted the watch from the  
box,  
opening the cover to find Robert Fraser's name and serial number  
engraved  
on the inside. Ray's head snapped up, his green eyes wide.  
Fraser met his gaze. "Turn it over."  
Ray did so, and read aloud the more recent inscription engraved  
on the back. " _To my friend, who never failed me. B. Fraser_  
\--  
Christmas, 1995."  
"Merry Christmas, Ray."  
After a few moments, Ray finally found his voice. "But  
this was  
your father's, Benny. I can't accept this..."  
"No, I want you to have it, Ray. I wanted to give you something  
special, to thank you for the friendship you've shown Diefenbaker  
and me  
since we've come here."  
Ray smiled. "You already have, Fraser. Thank you."  
The moment was broken by a whine. The two men looked down to  
find Diefenbaker sitting by the tree, his brown eyes moving from  
Fraser  
to the last gift beneath the tree, and back again.  
"Oh, all right..."  
He tossed the wrapped package to the wolf, who began tearing  
at  
the paper with his paws. Diefenbaker picked up the brown leather  
collar  
with red name tag attached in his powerful jaws and looked  
towards his  
master.  
"Well, do you like it?"  
Diefenbaker came over to Fraser and dropped it on the Mountie's  
feet, walking away.  
Fraser sighed, shaking his head. "You pay, and you pay,  
and you  
pay..."  
Ray chuckled. "Listen, I'd better get going. Come over  
around  
11 am to make sure you don't miss the kick-off. Even earlier  
if you  
actually want a seat in front of the TV."  
"Thanks, Ray," Fraser replied as he opened the door  
for his  
friend. "Merry Christmas."  
Ray smiled. "Merry Christmas to you too, Fraser."  
  
  
The End  
  
\----------  
Copyright December, 1995, by Angela Rivieccio. Not intended to infring  
on any copyright holder of DUE SOUTH -- past, present, or future.  
Please  
do not reproduce for anything other than personal enjoyment  
without  
written permission by the author. Coments welcome at.  
  



End file.
